The Applicant has produced a highly effective steam powered liquid pump for pumping liquids accumulating within a housing or reservoir which fills over time, and which is cyclically discharged by steam or other high pressure gas as an actuating fluid based on accumulation of such liquid to a predetermined level within the reservoir. As such steam powered liquid pump using an over center valve actuating mechanism is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 5,141,405, issued Aug. 25, 1992 and entitled LEAK PROOF, PRELOADED, HIGH-BIASING FORCE FLOAT-OPERATED OVER CENTER VALVE ACTUATING MECHANISM.
Steam or gas powered liquid pumps of this type include a float actuator mechanically coupled to a spring-biased over center toggle linkage controlling the position of a pair of valve actuators for controlling alternatively, feeding high pressure gas to the interior of the container or reservoir, and for effecting discharge of the accumulated liquid by the pressure of the steam or other pressurized gas above the level of the accumulated liquid within the reservoir. As the over center linkage passes through an in line centered position, one valve closes and the other opens. Such steam or gas powered liquid pump may operate at hundreds of thousands of cycles or millions of cycles over the life of the pump. Further, not only is the steam or other pressurized gas corrosive to the pump components and the over center valve actuating mechanism, but the liquid being pumped may vary from water, to a highly volatile liquid such as a liquid hydrocarbon.
Attempts have been made to count the cycles of operation of such steam or gas powered liquid pumps. Digital counters require electrical energy, either DC or AC, and where the steam or gas powered liquid pumps function to pump a highly volatile liquid, there is always the danger of spark ignition of such volatile liquids. Further, where the liquid being pumped is highly corrosive, the corrosive fluids, whether the pressurized gas powering the liquid pump or the liquid being pumped, may corrode the electrical or mechanical counter mechanisms to the extent where they become inoperable or impair the ability of the counter to provide an accurate account. Where steam provides the pressurized gas for powering the liquid pump, steam may be at temperatures in excess of 400 or 500 degrees Fahrenheit, and steam pressures within the vessel or reservoir may be in excess of 250 psi. The temperature of the pressurized gas or steam powering liquid pump in the past have tended to interfere with the actuator for either a mechanical cycle counter or its electrical counterpart, or both. The mechanical counters particularly in the past have been inadequately insulated thermally from the source of the gas pressure for operating the liquid pump resulting in failure of the mechanical or electrical counters over time.
It is therefore a primary object of the invention to provide an improved steam powered liquid pump mechanical cycle counter, which is formed of components of high strength, which have low heat transmission capability, which are corrosion proof, and in which the moving elements of the actuator are adequately sealed to prevent escape of the pressurized gas or steam functioning to power the liquid pump and which acts to power the actuator for the mechanical cycle counter.